Michael Caine Says It All

 

I’m late coming to this, but as the first anniversary of the vote on Brexit approaches — June 23 is the date — I see that the actor Sir Michael Caine caused a furor a few weeks ago. Caine’s crime? Admitting that he had voted for Brexit. “For me,” Caine said, “it was about freedom. I’d rather be a poor master than a rich servant.”

In a single sentence, Caine summed up the entire case for Brexit — and several centuries of the sheer groundedness and common sense of the ordinary Briton.

Published in Foreign Policy
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  1. Spin Inactive
    Spin
    @Spin

    If you haven’t read Michael Caine’s most recent autobiography, you are missing out.  Better yet, listen to him read it on Audible.  Great stuff.

    • #1
  2. KC Mulville Inactive
    KC Mulville
    @KCMulville

    Satan.

    “Better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heaven.” Milton, Paradise Lost

    (and I’m in favor  of Brexit, but the quote can be awkward)

    • #2
  3. Trinity Waters Member
    Trinity Waters
    @

    Of course there was a furor.  He had the cheek to speak truth in a world where that is now verboten.

    • #3
  4. NigelT Member
    NigelT
    @NigelT

    It’ll be interesting to see how it affects whatever’s left of his acting career.

    • #4
  5. Z in MT Member
    Z in MT
    @ZinMT

    It is hard to say that Michael Caine is under appreciated, but he is probably the most prolific actor ever.

    • #5
  6. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    I knew there was something I liked about him.

    • #6
  7. Viruscop Member
    Viruscop
    @Viruscop

    There is no such thing as a “poor master.”

    • #7
  8. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    Viruscop (View Comment):
    There is no such thing as a “poor master.”

    You seem to not understand what Caine meant by master.

    • #8
  9. I See Russia From My Mouse Inactive
    I See Russia From My Mouse
    @Pseudodionysius

    • #9
  10. Viruscop Member
    Viruscop
    @Viruscop

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Viruscop (View Comment):
    There is no such thing as a “poor master.”

    You seem to not understand what Caine meant by master.

    Enlighten me.

    Some people seem to think that wealth and freedom are separable. They are not.

    • #10
  11. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    Viruscop (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Viruscop (View Comment):
    There is no such thing as a “poor master.”

    You seem to not understand what Caine meant by master.

    Enlighten me.

    Some people seem to think that wealth and freedom are separable. They are not.

    I think Caine’s intent here is that a man who is his own master, who has liberty, is better off than even the most well off slave. Regardless of his personal circumstances.

    • #11
  12. Arnold Falk Inactive
    Arnold Falk
    @acfalk

    For us here in Switzerland (non-EU, non-Euro, but unfortunately in Schengen), we are wishing the Brits Godspeed in their forthcoming negotiations. They must be willing at all times to walk away from the table. This is the only way to deal with Brussels.

    My British friends here are to the man pro-Brexit. They are like Michael Caine.  They all recognize the likely economic pain for a while, but believe that in the long term, avoiding the EU overhead, regulations and outright stupidity (e.g., Schengen, lunatic immigration and asylum policies, the Euro) will work to make them the best performers in Europe. Would they rejoin if, by magic, the EU returned to being the EEC?  Very likely.

    • #12
  13. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    KC Mulville (View Comment):
    Satan.

    “Better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heaven.” Milton, Paradise Lost

    (and I’m in favor of Brexit, but the quote can be awkward)

    That is the first thing that came to my mind in reading Cain’s quote.

    • #13
  14. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    Michael Caine’s quote capsulizes why I am so disappointed in Scotland and their lack of support for Brexit. If anyone I know there voted for Brexit they have held their tongues. All the voices I hear from there are still loudly against it.

    I’ll be there for the June 8 election by the way

    • #14
  15. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    I know I’m not the only one who read that Michael Cain quote in Michael Caine’s voice.

    • #15
  16. Viruscop Member
    Viruscop
    @Viruscop

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Viruscop (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Viruscop (View Comment):
    There is no such thing as a “poor master.”

    You seem to not understand what Caine meant by master.

    Enlighten me.

    Some people seem to think that wealth and freedom are separable. They are not.

    I think Caine’s intent here is that a man who is his own master, who has liberty, is better off than even the most well off slave. Regardless of his personal circumstances.

    I took it to mean that. I don’t agree with it. It sounds nice, but I don’t agree with it.

    • #16
  17. Knotwise the Poet Member
    Knotwise the Poet
    @KnotwisethePoet

    Spin (View Comment):
    If you haven’t read Michael Caine’s most recent autobiography, you are missing out. Better yet, listen to him read it on Audible. Great stuff.

    I borrowed it from the library and read it.  I enjoyed it a lot, but I know it definitely would have been even better if I had the audiobook of him.  If you watch any interviews with him, Caine’s always a fun and very eager storyteller.

    • #17
  18. Arizona Patriot Member
    Arizona Patriot
    @ArizonaPatriot

    Valiuth (View Comment):

    KC Mulville (View Comment):
    Satan.

    “Better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heaven.” Milton, Paradise Lost

    (and I’m in favor of Brexit, but the quote can be awkward)

    That is the first thing that came to my mind in reading Cain’s quote.

    The Milton quote is not on point.  Think Patrick Henry instead.

    I think that this is why Brexit resonated so strongly with American conservatives.

     

    • #18
  19. Brad2971 Member
    Brad2971
    @

    Viruscop (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Viruscop (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Viruscop (View Comment):
    There is no such thing as a “poor master.”

    You seem to not understand what Caine meant by master.

    Enlighten me.

    Some people seem to think that wealth and freedom are separable. They are not.

    I think Caine’s intent here is that a man who is his own master, who has liberty, is better off than even the most well off slave. Regardless of his personal circumstances.

    I took it to mean that. I don’t agree with it. It sounds nice, but I don’t agree with it.

    Biggie Smalls (RIP) understands Caine’s point. Why can’t you?

     

    • #19
  20. Arizona Patriot Member
    Arizona Patriot
    @ArizonaPatriot

    As I claim the title of Ricochet’s #1 SciFi nerd, I also want to reference the Talosian’s concession speech to Captain Pike in Star Trek: The Cage:

    The customs and history of your race show a unique hatred of captivity. Even when it’s pleasant and benevolent, you prefer death. This makes you too violent and dangerous a species for our needs.

    Of course, Pike eventually returned to Talos IV, as only the Talosians could heal his crippling injuries.  But I do not view this as a return to captivity.  The Talosians gave up on their effort to enslave humans, and I interpret their later benevolence to Pike as recompense for their prior wrong.  You know, as if the EU entered into a free trade agreement with the UK after Brexit.

    • #20
  21. Joseph Stanko Coolidge
    Joseph Stanko
    @JosephStanko

    Viruscop (View Comment):

    Some people seem to think that wealth and freedom are separable. They are not.

    I think Caine’s intent here is that a man who is his own master, who has liberty, is better off than even the most well off slave. Regardless of his personal circumstances.

    I took it to mean that. I don’t agree with it. It sounds nice, but I don’t agree with it.

    So you’re a progressive who believes material wealth is more important than liberty?

    This is my shocked face.

     

    • #21
  22. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Viruscop (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Viruscop (View Comment):
    There is no such thing as a “poor master.”

    You seem to not understand what Caine meant by master.

    Enlighten me.

    Some people seem to think that wealth and freedom are separable. They are not.

    They are.

    • #22
  23. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Valiuth (View Comment):

    KC Mulville (View Comment):
    Satan.

    “Better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heaven.” Milton, Paradise Lost

    (and I’m in favor of Brexit, but the quote can be awkward)

    That is the first thing that came to my mind in reading Cain’s quote.

    Heaven is Iowa, not the EU.

    • #23
  24. ToryWarWriter Coolidge
    ToryWarWriter
    @ToryWarWriter

    @Annefy one of the big supporters of Brexit was the Scottish Fishing industry or whats left of it.  They sponsored Lexit the movie.

    • #24
  25. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    The Scots are a strange group. The British at one time always made sure that not all the Highland Regiments were in Scotland at the same time. I believe that was not due to British fears of them marching on London, the fear was that they would turn on each other and deprive Britain of a good deal of their military strength.

    • #25
  26. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    ToryWarWriter (View Comment):
    @Annefy one of the big supporters of Brexit was the Scottish Fishing industry or whats left of it. They sponsored Lexit the movie.

    Understood. But the majority of the country overwhelmingly voted stay. Now they are talking about leaving the U.K. so they can join the EU

    I could respect a desire for self-determination, but I haven’t seen any of that from the people I know condemning the Brexit vote

    I think their hatred for England is clouding their judgment.

    I am sick to death of friends and relatives from Scotland clogging my FB feed with anti-Trump screeds, so I will be listening a lot more than talking while I am there. I am hoping to understand their thinking better.

     

     

    • #26
  27. Viruscop Member
    Viruscop
    @Viruscop

    Joseph Stanko (View Comment):

    Viruscop (View Comment):

    Some people seem to think that wealth and freedom are separable. They are not.

    I think Caine’s intent here is that a man who is his own master, who has liberty, is better off than even the most well off slave. Regardless of his personal circumstances.

    I took it to mean that. I don’t agree with it. It sounds nice, but I don’t agree with it.

    So you’re a progressive who believes material wealth is more important than liberty?

    This is my shocked face.

    Material wealth is an indicator of liberty. Do you think that the resident’s of Garbut, NY are more free than an office manager in Shanghai?

    • #27
  28. Joseph Stanko Coolidge
    Joseph Stanko
    @JosephStanko

    Viruscop (View Comment):
    Material wealth is an indicator of liberty. Do you think that the resident’s of Garbut, NY are more free than an office manager in Shanghai?

    Absolutely I do.

    1. Residents of Garbut have access to the entire Internet, the office manager in Shanghai can only read what the Chinese censors deem suitable for his consumption.
    2. As Kevin Williamson infamously said, a resident of Garbut at least has the option to pack up and seek employment anywhere in these United States.  Residents of equivalent poorer regions of China need to apply for government permission to move to Shanghai.
    3. Alternately, the Garbut resident can stay put and campaign for Trump, hoping he can shake up the Washington establishment and reverse Garbut’s economic decline.  If the office manager in Shanghai joins a campaign to oust the Communist party from power, he will very quickly learn just how limited his “liberty” really is.

     

    • #28
  29. Texmoor Coolidge
    Texmoor
    @Texmoor

    Joseph Stanko (View Comment):

    Viruscop (View Comment):
    Material wealth is an indicator of liberty. Do you think that the resident’s of Garbut, NY are more free than an office manager in Shanghai?

    Absolutely I do.

    1. Residents of Garbut have access to the entire Internet, the office manager in Shanghai can only read what the Chinese censors deem suitable for his consumption.
    2. As Kevin Williamson infamously said, a resident of Garbut at least has the option to pack up and seek employment anywhere in these United States. Residents of equivalent poorer regions of China need to apply for government permission to move to Shanghai.
    3. Alternately, the Garbut resident can stay put and campaign for Trump, hoping he can shake up the Washington establishment and reverse Garbut’s economic decline. If the office manager in Shanghai joins a campaign to oust the Communist party from power, he will very quickly learn just how limited his “liberty” really is.

    Exactly. There is no room for dissent in the PRC. Being that high up in the company may be dependent on being a party member anyways, especially if it is a state owned company.

    • #29
  30. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):
    I know I’m not the only one who read that Michael Cain quote in Michael Caine’s voice.

    From “Zulu.”

    • #30
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